Child's Play
by memoriaregalis
Summary: Extraction from a kid should have been easy. Focused on Ariadne, Arthur, and Eames.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Extraction from a kid should have been easy. Focused on Ariadne, Arthur, and Eames.

Disclaimer: Inception and its characters belong to the talented Mr. Chris Nolan.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who read my previous works. This story will be more serious and longer than my usual one-shot crack fics. I'm still working out where this story will go but I hope this will be entertaining. Enjoy!

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Child's Play

Cobb and Arthur made it extremely clear before the Inception mission that it was important to lay low until the threat level was nonexistent. Performing a job that was considered near impossible and dangerous in dreams meant it was much more hazardous in reality if they had failed – and they didn't but these were necessary precautions to take. It was part of the job description. After landing in Los Angeles, everyone parted ways with no verbal goodbyes. There were small smiles, nods, and eye contact, and that was all they could offer to each other without bringing attention or suspicion to themselves. It was comforting that Ariadne knew where Cobb was going to be, but she couldn't say the same for the rest of the team. She didn't know when she would see these men again – if she would ever see them again. The thought stung her heart.

Dreaming or not, Ariadne understood she had a life to go back to. The Architect left for Paris after staying in Los Angeles for a week. Once the plane touched down in Paris, Ariadne was back to being just another ordinary student (other than the fact she had considerably more money). Professor Miles pulled some strings that had all her professors give Ariadne the whole summer to catch up on what she's missed during her "sick" leave. Whether desired or not, life continued to go on and Ariadne continued the life she temporary paused.

Ariadne's mind was constantly plagued with thoughts and desires to be back in the dream world. Arthur's voice echoed in her mind - _There's nothing quite like it_. He was right; the dreamscape could be compared to no other. It was a space where creativity flourished, where laws of physics and resources no longer mattered – it was the type of landscape that any architect would dream for. _Hah – dreams…_ She would not admit it out loud but she knew she was hooked, addicted to the thrill that was produced in the presence of lucid dreaming. However, after facing Cobb's situation with Mal, Ariadne still kept in mind the importance of reality no matter how much innovative freedom the latter offered.

The Architect hasn't seen or heard from anyone from the team in five months, seventeen days, and twenty-two hours – not like she was keeping count. She would be lying to herself if she said that she didn't miss each and every one of them terribly. Cobb, Arthur, Eames, and Yusuf, all experts in what they do, were people she thought she would never meet. When they popped into her life, she was happy. The team was a breath of fresh air. She would do anything to see them again…

...

Ariadne is deep in thought as she works on her final project for a modern architecture class. This particular project is a pain in the derrière. If she wants a good grade, Ariadne has to constantly remind herself that her building needs to be realistic. No matter how awed her professors were with her models, it meant nothing if she couldn't follow the basic guidelines of nature and economics.

Ariadne is delicately cutting squares out of her cardboard building when the ringing phone startles her. While one hand pats her chest to calm her heart, the other puts down the exacto knife and reaches for the cell phone on the desk. The screen says "unknown caller" at 10:00 P.M. "Hello?"

"Ariadne."

_"Arthur?"_ Ariadne is still with surprise.

The next thing the Architect hears is a yelp and some curses before another voice responds. "Ariadne, darling. Interested in a new job?" _Eames._

"When and where?" Ariadne immediately answers with a smile on her face.

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**What do you guys think? Should this be continued?**

**Reviews of any sort is extremely appreciated! Thanks! xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Inception and its characters belong to the talented Mr. Chris Nolan.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first chapter! It's really great to see that you guys are enthusiastic with this story just as I am. I mean, some of you guys even called me crazy to not continue, haha. It's very touching and definitely makes me want to keep writing. I know some of you are really curious what the plot is about but I promise you'll find out in the next coming chapter. I just find it crucial and interesting to develop Ariadne's personality and back-story after the Inception mission because it was such a life-changing event. Anyways, enough of my nonsense and enjoy Chapter 2!

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Chapter 2

After the unexpected call from Arthur, Ariadne grins like a lunatic at the prospect of seeing her friends. It didn't matter that Arthur's words were short and cryptic. Hearing, "_You'll get more information. See you soon"_,was enough to build her excitement. Soon she'll be back in a world that she's dearly missed with the people she's longed to see. Ariadne is bursting with so much exhilaration that she happily twirls and dances around her room. She suddenly stills herself when her eyes fall upon the architecture model. "Oh right… my final project." The Architect knows that she can't put school off. Professor Miles took the time to protect the future of his brightest student and she's not about to let him down. She understands she's fortunate to been able to experience the unimaginable. Ariadne quickly finds her resolve and determinedly works to finish her model throughout the night.

Eyelids drooping the next morning, Ariadne walks to her professor's office to drop off her project. It's hard, she finds, to comprehend all the comments coming out of her professor's mouth at the state she's in. She catches on some words such as "delightful" and "improvement" but most of it is a considerable number of blahs.

Her body automatically directs her to a local café when she leaves campus. Coffee, her caffeinated buddy, to say the least, became a lifesaver during those long nights in the studio. Architecture is serious business. Ariadne always reminds herself that she needs S.I.C.C. – acronym for Sleep, Imagination, Commitment, and Caffeine. Ironically, even though Ariadne gets her work done, she easily gets sick (she's always lacking a bit on sleep).

"A triple shot espresso, please." Ariadne mindlessly says when she reaches the counter. She's looking down into her wallet to pull out some cash.

The barista raises an eyebrow at the petite girl. "You sure? That's a hell lot of caffeine." The barista quickly murmurs a "Nevermind" and inputs her order into the cash machine when Ariadne looks up at him. The heavy dark bags under her eyes are more protruding on her pale skin and it makes the Architect look like a livid zombie that's been hit by more than one bus.

During her fifteen-minute walk from the café to her apartment complex, the cup turns from full to empty and the caffeine starts to kick in. Even though she's exhausted, her heart is pounding a little faster and she's striding home as if nothing else mattered in the world - she becomes a zombie on crack. When Ariadne reaches her place on the third floor, she notices a manila envelope stuck under her apartment door. She doesn't need to question who sent it.

Empty cup in one hand, Ariadne uses her other hand to pick up the package and put it under her arm so she can pull out the door key from her pocket. She's fumbling with the key, jittery due to the coffee and the anticipation of finding out what's in the parcel. When the door is finally unlocked, the cup is hastily thrown into the trash bin as Ariadne makes her way to her desk. She picks up the exacto knife and makes a slit through the envelope before walking over to sit on her bed.

After finding a comfortable sitting position, Ariadne turns the envelope upside down and dumps its contents on the bed. The first thing that she notices is a United States passport. She flips open the navy blue book and there on the first page is a picture of her with an unfamiliar pseudonym, Melinda Dwyer. She's amazed how effortlessly her team can conjure up such documents in such short a time period. _Other than that, Arthur is just always prepared – probably the latter._

Putting it aside, she picks up a plane ticket from China Air. She zones in on the text. _Destination: Shanghai. Flight time…tonight at 9:00 P.M._ Ariadne checks her clock to conclude that it's enough time for her to pack and reach the airport.

The last item untouched is a piece of paper with an address.

_Grand Hyatt Shanghai_

_Jin Mao Tower, 88 Century Avenue, Pudong_

Feeling much more awake and excited, Ariadne pulls out a small luggage from under her bed and begins to pack. The first thing she puts in the case is a stack of her favorite scarves. To her, they were more than just stylish accessories. They offered her comfort and security when no one else could.

Couple hours later with everything set, Ariadne pulls out a familiar object from her pocket and observes its golden hue. She needs confirmation that none of this is a dream, that in less than twenty-four hours, she will be in the presence of what she's missed for over five months. Her chess piece totem feels like what she expects it to weigh in reality. She smiles at its reaction and stuffs her beloved object back into her pocket. Picking up her luggage, Ariadne gives one last glance at her apartment before heading out the door.

…

By the time Ariadne lands in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, it's already 5:00 P.M. Fortunately, she's feeling no jet lag. Her lack of sleep from the previous night allows her to sleep like a baby in the plane. With her luggage in toll, Ariadne passes through immigration and exits the terminal to reach a taxi.

When she's settled in the backseat, she directs the driver. "The Grand Hyatt, please." At her command, the cab immediately moves with efficiency, weaving in and out of the heavy traffic with ease.

Clouds are sparse throughout the night sky of Shanghai and Ariadne is at awe as she enters the heart of the city. Although she hears cars honking left and right, people loudly conversing all over the streets, neon signs blinking here and there, there's a feeling of serenity and admiration when she surveys the architecture that surrounds her. The buildings here are modern than those in Paris, she thinks to herself. Built with not only a sense of design but also purpose in mind.

When Ariadne reaches the entrance of the five-star hotel, she checks the watch on her wrist. 5:35 P.M. When she pays the driver, a hotel attendant opens the door of the taxi and guides her inside to the main desk.

"Hi. Welcome to the Grand Hyatt. Checking in?" Ariadne nods inattentively at the receptionist as she awes the interior design.

"Great, I'll just need your passport for confirmation and you'll be good to go." Ariadne complies her request and slides the forged passport across the counter.

After a couple minutes of waiting, the receptionist hands back the passport along with an envelope. "Inside is your hotel key. Your room is on the 82nd floor. If you need anything, just call the front desk. Please enjoy your stay, Miss. Dwyer."

"Thanks." When Ariadne enters one of the elevators and presses for her floor, she opens the envelope and notices that she's been given more than just a key. A piece of paper, the size of a business card, has a hand-written note on it.

_7:00 PM_

_Canton on 55th Floor_

_Ask for Gregory_

_Formal Dress Code_

Ariadne gives the stink eye at the "Formal Dress Code". When she packed for the trip, she assumed that since she was going to work in an undisclosed area and in dreams, she would only need comfortable casual clothing. _Thank god that I decided to bring a dress._

When Ariadne reaches her room, she's again at a state of awe. Two walls of her bedroom are plated with windows that stretch from floor to ceiling. Beyond the glass lies a marvelous view of the Yangtze River. The lights from neighboring skyscrapers shimmer across the sky. The vision in front of her eyes indeed feels like a dream but the comfortable weight in her pocket tells her otherwise. Ariadne drops herself onto the king sized bed with a toothy smile on her face. _This is definitely better than my 3rd floor Parisian apartment._

…

Dressed in a black ruched one shoulder dress and flats, Ariadne makes her way down to the 55th floor at 6:50 P.M. She's immediately greeted by the host when the doors open.

"Welcome to Canton, do you have a reservation?" the host asks.

"I'm with the Gregory party," replies the Architect.

"Please follow me." The host escorts her to a private room and when the door opens, Ariadne grins at the scene. Eames, Arthur, and Yusuf are looking at the numerous pictures of James and Phillipa on the table while they listen to Cobb enthusiastically talk to them about what he's been doing. Yusuf is the first to notice Ariadne at the entrance.

"Ariadne! Long time no see!" The Chemist stand ups from his chair and walks to Ariadne for a hug.

"Yusuf! How are you? Any new breakthroughs with your research?" Ariadne asks with curiosity.

Yusuf smiles brightly at the woman. "I have some new concoctions that may be of use for this mission. I'll show you when we set up shop."

When Ariadne is let go from Yusuf's embrace, she's immediately picked up into Eames' arms. "My little Architect. I hope you've been doing well."

"Eames, still charming as ever I see." His eyes twinkle at the comment and winks in reply.

When Eames puts her back down, Ariadne turns to Cobb. "Dom! You look… happy. It's really a wonderful look on you." The word didn't do justice to describe the Extractor. Cobb's eyes didn't appear haunted and tired like it used to be during their last job. Instead, there was a sense of sagacious sensibility and serenity.

Cobb laughs at the statement. "I am. Thanks to you." He gives her a fatherly hug before Ariadne finally turns to embrace Arthur.

"You look good." Ariadne slightly flushes pink at Arthur's comment when they step back from each other.

"You too." _As always_, Ariadne silently adds in her head. There was never a day during the Inception mission did Arthur look awful. _He was born for a three-piece suit_. Ariadne blushes again at her own thoughts.

Hoping she doesn't get caught at her current embarrassed state, Ariadne quickly turns her attention to Cobb and asks him a question, "So Dom, you going to share your pictures and stories with me, too?" Cobb smiles at her question and the team enjoys each other's company for the rest of the night.

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**Things will definitely pick up after this chapter. Hope you've enjoyed it. **

**Reviews are welcomed! xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Inception and its characters belong to the talented Mr. Chris Nolan.

A/N: Oh gawd, I'm SO SORRY that I took so long to post up Chapter 3. School just started again for me (semester system) and the professors have already dumped a TON of reading on their students. My initial plan was to post up a chapter every 3-5 days but it's getting really difficult to do, BUT FEAR NOT, if you guys still have interest in this fic, I will continue to write.

Thanks again to those who commented. It really helps me evaluate if I'm a good storyteller or not. Anyways, enjoy Chapter 3!

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CHAPTER 3

Half attentively chewing on a piece of toast, Ariadne is sketching the skyline visible outside Cobb's suite windows. She's lying comfortably on one of many leather chairs in the vicinity while the rest of the team is eating breakfast at the table adjacent to her. The night before, the team decided to meet together in Cobb's room so they could have a more intimate chat concerning their current job offer.

"Mr. Chang contacted me a week ago for a simple extraction mission. He mentioned briefly what the job would be, and if I was interested, he said he would fly the team to Shanghai to discuss more about it in person. I mentioned I was retired but recommended Arthur to be offered the job." Cobb pats his hand on the shoulder of his most trusted Pointman. "Mr. Chang took my advice and here you guys are. I'll be heading home tomorrow after Arthur meets with our potential client – "

Ariadne opens her mouth to interrupt. "Wait, if you're retired, what are you doing here?" She's suddenly loses interest with the drawing in her notebook.

"I came to check on you."

Ariadne furrows her eyebrows at the former Extractor. "I'm not a child, Dom."

"No, pet. You're not," Eames interrupts. "However, it's part of protocol to see if there are any aftereffects for the newcomers." Eames puts down his cup of oolong tea on the table and looks at Ariadne with a seriousness that she doesn't see too often from the Forger. "There's always that possibility of going crazy and losing your sense of what's real and what's not… If that happens, you're a liability."

Ariadne opens her mouth to object but Eames adds, "You must remember, darling, you've been to limbo – a place that neither Arthur nor I have ever gone to, and we've been in this business for years. As coworkers and friends, we wanted to see that you were alright."

Ariadne nods her head in acceptance but she's bothered by their explanation. "If that's the case, why didn't you guys check up on me earlier? Why wait six months?"

"For safety precautions, none of us have been in contact with each other for the last half a year except for emergencies. Miles has been keeping me up to date about you and from what he's told me, you've been doing well. Though…" A smile creeps up on Cobb's face. "He did scold me for corrupting his prodigy when he noticed your projects were not up to par with reality." Ariadne's cheeks become pink with guilt and embarrassment.

"Do not take it into offense, Ariadne." Cobb continues. "You're a bright girl with a great future ahead of you - I just don't want you ever going down my path. Aside from that reason, I also wanted a reunion. It's not often in this business can we see each other frequently."

In agreement with their statements, Ariadne decides to change the topic of discussion, suddenly curious about the potential client. "Mr. Chang must really want us to do the job if he's given us such extravagant rooms." As an example, Ariadne uses her head to point out the 18K gold strategically plastered on the walls. "That wall would pay for a year of my tuition, at least."

"The accommodation wasn't by Mr. Chang." Arthur corrects her. "For the sake of our security, we found our own." Arthur grins at his next statement. "It just happens to be a coincidence that the Grand Hyatt was bought by Saito."

"Does the bloke ever _not_ buy anything?" Eames asks.

...

Ariadne and Arthur stand outside the terminal gate with Cobb, giving their last goodbyes to the former Extractor before splitting off.

"Do you miss it?" Ariadne asks in curiosity.

Cobb didn't need to ask to know what she meant. "I admit that I miss this whole dreaming business, but I can't just go back in and jeopardize what I've gained. Now that I can be with James and Phillipa, I'm trying to avoid trouble."

Ariadne doesn't want to say out loud what she truly wants because she knows it's selfish. She wishes the person who introduced her to this world would stay and mentor her further, make their team a whole, and be a part of her family but she knows better. Cobb risked the lives of him and his colleagues to perform one last job. The job that would let him see his children's faces again – and he succeeded. She admires his commitment.

Cobb notices the slight sadness in her eyes. "You don't need me, anyways." Cobb looks back and forth at Arthur and Ariadne. "The team already has an architect and pointman, and very good ones at that." With one last smile, Cobb and Arthur exchange a firm handshake and a knowing expression that Ariadne knows to imply "look out for the team".

Cobb turns to Ariadne and pulls her into a hug. "If you need me, all you have to do is call." His eyes search for hers as pulls back, silently looking for acknowledgement of his statement.

Ariadne offers a confident smile. "Of course."

...

When Ariadne and Arthur return to the hotel, the Pointman calls for an impromptu meeting with the team in his suite. Arthur lays out the details of the job immediately after everyone is settled in his room. As Arthur is about to open his mouth, he's quickly interrupted. "Wait, I have to go pee." Yusuf speedily gets off his seat and beelines towards the bathroom.

When Yusuf is back (with a very content expression on his face), Arthur begins the debriefing. "Mr. Chang is a wealthy businessman who owns Jing Hua, the largest bank in China, and he's hired us to perform an extraction from Daniel, his eight-year-old son." Eames, Yusuf, and Ariadne raise their eyebrows at his last words.

"A child?' Yusuf asks for confirmation as if he didn't hear Arthur correctly.

"Yes, a child." Arthur continues. "Three years ago, Daniel suffered a tragedy in which his mother was murdered in front of his eyes. They were having dinner in their home one night when two men came in demanding Mrs. Chang for information. It's unclear what they wanted from her, but apparently it has to do with some family secret."

Arthur pulls out three files from his briefcase and hands one to each person. "Mr. Chang believes that his wife told Daniel before her death."

Ariadne chimes in. "Can't he just ask Daniel himself?"

"He's tried the last three years but he can't get a single word out of him."

"Well, it must be a very important secret if the kid won't tell his own father." Eames says as he skims through the file. "I think the question that should be asked is why does Mr. Chang want to know this secret?"

"What our client wants to do with the information we give him is none of our business. We're to extract the information and be off on our way. No harm, no foul." Arthur simply states.

Ariadne wants to verbalize her uncertainties but Yusuf beats her to it. "Looking at the preliminary profile, this job should be an easy in-and-out. When do you think you can have this completed?" Yusuf waves the file in his hand.

"I'll be with Mr. Chang again tonight to discuss more in detail about what he wants. I'm hoping to meet his son as well. So, give or take about a day or two."

"Lovely." Eames turns to the Architect. "Ariadne, let's go have some fun while Arthur goes to work." Arthur glares at the Forger's words. "Alright, alright, don't get your knickers in a bunch. I'll go set up our workspace." Eames pulls Ariadne off her feet and scurries off with her before Arthur can protest.

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**What do you guys think? Should I continue writing?**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Inception and its characters belong to the talented Mr. Chris Nolan.

A/N: CHAPTER 4 IS UP. FINALLY. I know. Please don't hurt me. It's a little overdue but it's out, yeah?

Thanks again to those who reviewed. I always keep in mind the things you say and it's super touching that you guys want me to continue writing. Thanks!

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CHAPTER 4

"Eames, where are we going?" When Eames and Ariadne left their hotel, the Architect was surprised when Eames denied the offer for a cab.

"As I said to the stick in the mud, we're going to set up our workspace, love… after we explore." Eames offers a mischievous grin. Hand on her lower back, Eames leads Ariadne into the bustling streets of Shanghai. He tells her the history of the area, the people who reside here, and sometimes, Ariadne believes, are hints about the previous jobs that the Forger has done before.

It's been two hours into their journey when Ariadne starts to feel her stomach rumble. Eames, noticing the Architect's dilemma, turns her around and walks them back into an alley they just passed a few seconds ago. Ariadne gives a strange look at Eames. "What are you…" Before she could finish her sentence, she sees a night market at the end of the alley.

"We're going to take care of our stomachs before I take us to our little rendezvous spot." Ariadne's stomach rumbles louder when she smells a mixture of stir-fry foods and grilled meats.

"Sorry," Ariadne, red as a tomato, covers her stomach with both hands. Eames simply chuckles at her embarrassment.

"This is called a night market." Eames says when they enter the crowd. Red lanterns hang high in the air as if they were floating on their own. People are moving left and right, bargaining for lower prices on food. Baked and grilled ducks, pigs, chickens hang from the booths. Various snacks that Ariadne has never seen in her life fill her senses with such rich aroma that she's hungrier than ever.

Eames pulls her to a stop in front of a meat booth. Ariadne's eyes widen when Eames opens his mouth to speak with the seller. "Ba ge xiao long bao. Hi you jia liang bang gu lao rao. Xie xie."

Eames hands her a steamed bun when he's done speaking to the seller. "Are you kidding me? You speak Mandarin?" Ariadne stares at Eames astonished by his newfound talent.

"I'm not very good at it but I know enough to get by, especially when it comes to food. Come on, pet." Eames leads her to another booth to pick up other random goods.

Ariadne can't help but stare in awe at the Forger when he speaks again to another vendor. Ariadne realizes that Eames must notice her gawking because he immediately offers a remark that makes her face flame red. "Darling, now. I know _I'm that good_, but there's no need to idolize me. You can show your affection for me later." Eames winks at the Architect.

Before Eames could blink, Ariadne is already striding off into the distance. The Forger rubs the side of his shoulder as he quickly tries to catch up with his companion down the alley.

…

Fifteen minutes later of going in and out of various streets and alleyways, Eames guides Ariadne into a quiet secluded area and stops them in front of a small door. Eames looks around before he opens it with a key from his pocket.

"You were supposed to set this place up." Arthur says when they enter the room. The Pointman is lying back on his chair, reading a file in his hand.

"I will. After we eat." Eames lifts his arms to show Arthur the numerous bags he has in his hands.

"Thank you." Yusuf takes the food to his desk.

"Bloody hell, stop hogging the chicken!" As Yusuf and Eames bicker off at the side, Ariadne digs into one of the bags, pulls out a box of pork, and sits on the vacant chair next to Arthur. Possessing no utensils, Ariadne starts picking at the pieces with her fingers and popping them into her mouth. Noticing Arthur is staring at her, Ariadne offers a piece to the Pointman. Arthur raises an eyebrow at Ariadne before letting her feed one into his mouth.

Ariadne blushes when Arthur smiles softly at her. "Thanks." The smile disappears when they notice Eames walking back, holding a box of chicken out towards the two. "Are you alright, Arthur? You're looking more frightening than usual. Weren't you suppose to be with Mr. Chang at the moment?"

Arthur ignores Eames' comment. "Have a seat. I have some new developments." Ariadne realizes Eames is right. Something be bothering Arthur especially if he doesn't retort back at Eames.

"My meeting with Mr. Chang was brief. After a thirty-minute conversation, I asked Mr. Chang if I could meet his son. I sensed something was wrong when he initially declined. So I bluntly told him that if that were the case, I would have to politely decline his job offer. He immediately apologized and reluctantly agreed to my request." Arthur pauses, as if he was carefully choosing his next words.

"Daniel is a mute and he's been that way ever since his mother died."

Ariadne chimes in. "Wait… what? So when Mr. Chang said that he couldn't get a single word out of his mouth…"

"It was in a literal sense." Arthur finished. "But I wouldn't say that was our biggest problem."

"Then what is?" Yusuf says with his mouth full of pan-fried noodles.

"When I went to see Daniel, he was napping in his room. Mr. Chang didn't want to disturb him so he said that I could have a proper introduction tomorrow morning. A few minutes before I was about to leave, I heard screams from Daniel's room. The boy was having a nightmare and when Mr. Chang woke Daniel up, the kid pushed off from his father and hid himself into the corner of the room. The closer Mr. Chang got to Daniel, the louder Daniel cried and screamed." Arthur pauses to quickly pull the box of chicken away from Yusuf, who hand stolen it back from Eames, and hands it to Ariadne.

"It was only after Rina, Mrs. Chang's sister, arrived when Daniel calmed down and fell back to sleep. Mr. Chang, apologizing for the event, immediately excused himself. I questioned Rina about Daniel and she mentioned that he's been plagued with nightmares for the last three years. There hasn't been a day where he's gotten a fair amount of sleep."

"This is going to be troublesome." Eames quietly replied.

"What do you mean?" Ariadne asks.

"Children have boisterous imaginations and they often don't learn the difference between what's reality and what's not until they are older. His mind will be very different compared to that of an adult. To make things worse, the death of his mother must have traumatized him greatly because it seems from Arthur's narrative that he can't trust anyone but his own aunt." Eames furrows his eyebrows at the thought. "I need to do some observations on Mr. Chang and this… Rina. It's evident that Mr. Chang is still hiding something if his own son is afraid of him." Eames looks directly at Arthur. "You think you can get a hold of their schedules?"

Arthur gives him an approving nod. "If Daniel's mind is that unstable, I suspect we're going to face far more violent and suspicious projections. This is going to be dream at least two levels deep."

"I have some formulas that may be of use when we use the PASIV. It could calm the boy down, maybe even lessen the suspicion level of his projections." Yusuf suggests.

For the first time in a while, Ariadne realizes that she's still new to the business. She was lucky to have Cobb train her to become an architect but there is a lot more about the dream state she hasn't learned about yet. Arthur notices the slightly lost and frustrated face on the Architect. "Do you still want to do this job, Ariadne? You can sit this one out if you feel like you're not up to it."

"No. I want to do it." Ariadne offers a determined look to the team. "What can I do to help?"

Arthur thinks for a moment before answering. "Do you want to meet Daniel tomorrow?"

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A/N: My Chinese pin yin is bit rough since I haven't used it for a while but basically the translation from earlier was "Eight steamed buns and two pounds of BBQ pork. Thank you."

**What did you guys think about this chapter? **


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